The downsides of traditional medicines are all over the place. The side effects can be harsh, the treatment itself can be painful and refilling prescriptions for years tends to be expensive.
That’s why folks are increasingly turning toward a more natural solution. The CBD Store of Bradenton, 2723 Manatee Ave. W., opened March 1 to offer customers just that.
The store’s opening is part of a much larger nationwide trend. According to Forbes Magazine, the cannabidiol (CBD) market is expected to become a billion-dollar industry by 2020.
For now, owner Rachael Quinn says her store is the only dedicated CBD shop in the area.
She explained that she decided to open the shop after dealing with an active flare of Crohn’s disease for about four years. Forms of holistic treatment brought the chronic illness into remission but her nausea remained.
“I was trying different things to avoid the medication. I mean, it was going to be 2500 mg of steroids to subdue my immune system,” Quinn explained. “About a year ago my friend suggested CBD oil, and I tried it. One day I woke up and realized that I hadn’t been nauseous at all yesterday.”
Quinn tried many CBD oil brands, but the American Shaman brand of CBD oils is what worked best, so it’s the one her shop sells exclusively. She said customers have been impressed with the quality of the brand, too.
All that stuff is expensive and you can’t take it forever. This comes from Mother Earth, and that’s what I’m about.
Edward Russell, a customer at the CBD Store of Bradenton
Edward Russell happened to wander into the shop solely for information about CBD, which he’d heard friends mention before. He sampled a small dose of a water-soluble product and left the store with a purchase, hoping to take advantage of the relief it can bring.
“I lift heavy objects for work and I’m not getting any younger, so sometimes I have lower-back issues,” Russell said. “It should help with muscle soreness after my bike rides, too, so it’s nice to be preventative.”
Russell also mentioned that he’s tired of dealing with the pharmaceutical industry, which he said has turned into a blatant cash grab.
“All that stuff is expensive and you can’t take it forever,” he said. “This comes from Mother Earth, and that’s what I’m about.”
Quinn said most of her customers feel the same way Russell does. They’re seeking alternatives for costly medicine that they don’t quite trust. She told an anecdote of one customer with arthritis so bad that her hands “looked like they were frozen.”
“It was so bad that I had to open the door for her. She came back four days later and was doing this,” Quinn said, mimicking the customer by opening and closing her hands with ease. “I feel like if I can bring that sort of relief to the community, then I’ve paid it forward.”
The product can help patients suffering from migraines, skin issues, anxiety, chronic pain and many other ailments, but Quinn refuses to accept the praise from her customers.
“I stumbled upon all of this by prayer. If it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t be here right now. When I was sick, I just kept praying to Him and telling myself that this is not how I’m going to live the rest of my life,” Quinn said.
The CBD Store of Bradenton sells a variety of products, including tinctures that go under your tongue, edible candies, skin creams and water solubles for pets that may need a form of medicinal relief. Product prices range from 25 cents for a single hard candy edible to $145 for ointments and creams with higher CBD concentrations.
According to the Associated Press, some experts say CBD provides “therapeutic benefits” without the high one would feel from marijuana and its presence of THC. Quinn said any comparisons to marijuana are attributed to their close relationship, but they’re still different.
“CBD comes from industrial hemp, so there’s no sort of high. It’s just relief and there’s no carrier that comes with it,” she said. “It’s like oranges and limes. They’re both citrus, but it’s different.”
I just want to give people an option. It’s been life-changing for them. It’s a natural way to feel better and get your body back functioning the way it should.
Rachael Quinn, the owner of the CBD Store of Bradenton
Quinn said her shop is far more popular than she ever could have imagined. She explained that her plan was to “open a tiny shop for fun,” but she’s already considering an expansion.
Last week, she expanded her staff by hiring Garett Fraser as the business developer. Fraser said his experience with CBD products goes back about 10 years and includes providing his dad with the product to help alleviate issues pertaining to a cancer diagnosis.
“It’s something I’ve always been aware of and interested in,” Fraser said. “The medical benefits are serious.”
Fraser will assist Quinn if she expands her business. Until then, the 33-year-old business owner said her mission remains the same.
“I just want to give people an option. It’s been life-changing for them. It’s a natural way to feel better and get your body back functioning the way it should.”
